Video Vault: Acting in 'Key Largo' tops 'Casablanca'

Will Pfeifer

Thursday

Jul 30, 2009 at 12:01 AMJul 30, 2009 at 12:21 PM

Released six years after “Casablanca,” 1948’s “Key Largo” isn’t quite on the level of that cinema classic. It does have Humphrey Bogart playing a guy in an out-of-the-way location who just doesn’t want to get involved, but it lacks the emotional punch and World War II gravitas of “Casablanca.”

Released six years after “Casablanca,” 1948’s “Key Largo” isn’t quite on the level of that cinema classic. It does have Humphrey Bogart playing a guy in an out-of-the-way location who just doesn’t want to get involved, but it lacks the emotional punch and World War II gravitas of “Casablanca.”

That doesn’t mean it’s not worth a look for other reasons, though. In fact, in the acting department, “Key Largo” beats “Casablanca” hands down.

That’s because “Key Largo” gives Bogart a worthy adversary in Johnny Rocco, a past-his-prime gangster who takes over the Florida inn where the movie is set. Johnny is played by Edward G. Robinson, who became famous playing gangsters in the 1930s. Robinson expertly conveys the desperation and anger of a guy who knows the world is passing him by.

Tormenting Bogart (along with the owner of the inn, Lionel Barrymore, and his daughter, Lauren Bacall) is one way he shows everyone he’s still tough. But he saves his worst abuse for his alcoholic girlfriend, played by Claire Trevor. When he offers her a drink if she’ll sing, then refuses to give it to her, growling “You were lousy,” it’s the most powerful scene in the film. (And it won Trevor an Oscar.)

Naturally, in the end, Bogart decides to do the right thing, and good triumphs over evil, but for an hour or so in that sweltering, smothering Florida inn, you’re not sure what might happen.

Things have clearly gotten a lot more complicated since Bogey walked into the fog at the end of “Casablanca.”

Will Pfeifer writes about new DVDs on Tuesdays and older ones on Fridays. Contact him at wpfeifer@rrstar.com or 815-987-1244. Read his blog at blogs.e-rockford.com/movieman/.
See video reviews at go.rrstar.com.

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